Born to Die
by Berry's Ambitions
Summary: [One-shot] "If you wanna keep me, you better catch me!" [Dedede/Escargoon]


_**Born to Die**_

_**By Berry's Ambitions**_

**A/N: An idea I've had for this pairing for ages that I finally decided to write. It does contain major character death and suicide, so don't say you weren't warned.**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own _Kirby_.**

* * *

_"Feet don't fail me now_

_Take me to the finish line_

_Oh my heart it breaks with every step I take_

_But I'm hoping at the gates,_

_They'll tell me that you're mine."_

**_- Lana Del Ray._**

* * *

He feels sick to his stomach.

No, that's not right. He feels sick all over.

Red has always been one of his favourite colours, but now the very sight of it makes him want to retch. Red on the floor. Red splattered over lavender skin.

Red-stained fingers intertwine with his gloved ones. The king's name - his real name - the last thing that's whispered in a dying gasp.

_My fault. All my fault._

The thought has been on loop in his mind for days and days, never ending.

The monster's bullet hadn't been meant for Escargoon, but then again, everyone said his job would be the death of him.

Customer Service's face on the screen had been one of shock. Why? Because he underestimated Escargoon's love for his employer? Because he didn't have the ability to understand the meaning of sacrifice, let alone emotion?

The moment the gun had been fired, Meta Knight lunged for the monster, wielding his sword.

Escargoon fell backwards, into Dedede's waiting arms. Blood seeped from the wound in his chest as the snail took shallow, rattling breaths. His eyes, locked onto Dedede's, were streaming with tears - not out of regret, but out of resignation.

Numbly Dedede held out his hand and Escargoon took it, murmuring his name.

And nothing more.

It had been Escargoon's job to protect His Majesty, and he had fulfilled it.

But it had been Dedede's job to look out for him, his little buddy, and he fucked it up.

Just like he fucked everything up.

Dedede hadn't a clue what wound up happening to the monster, other than the fact Meta Knight disposed of it. The transmission with Customer Service had been cut - whether by the bastard himself or by somebody else he didn't know.

He could only kneel there, clutching the only friend he ever had, as the lump in his throat grew and his vision went blurry.

Blood had somehow gotten onto Escargoon's face, and Dedede used the sleeve of his robe to wipe it away. He knew his friend wouldn't have liked looking that way at all; Escargoon was always a bit squeamish, and he hated messes more than anything.

Bath, Dedede thought nonsensically. He needed a bath.

_"Don't stay in there too long, or you'll start to pucker up!"_

And then Meta Knight was suddenly there, his demeanor more grim than usual. "Your Highness." His voice was very quiet, calm. "Give him to me."

"My fault," Dedede whispered, cradling Escargoon against his chest. He'd heard about how people looked peacefully asleep after they'd passed on, but Dedede thought Escargoon looked exactly like what he was. Dead.

A gentle tap on his shoulder. It was Tiff, who was crying and obviously at loss for words. "Please, Dedede," she managed to say. "Listen to Meta Knight. He'll... move him somewhere safe for now."

(They both knew it was too late for that, of course.)

Escargoon had to be physically pried from Dedede's arms, of course. The last thing he remembered was being led away to his room by a visibly stricken Waddle Doo, but Dedede didn't mind. He wasn't interested in watching Escargoon being dragged away.

* * *

Dedede doesn't leave the castle after that. He spends most (all) of his time alone, recalling the little things - like how Escargoon would scold him for not getting enough exercise, and the way he would roll his eyes whenever Dedede came up with a particularly harebrained scheme. Not in disdain, as many would assume, but out of concern for the king's wellbeing as well as his own. (Completely justified concern, as fate had it.)

Time no longer exists; there is day, and then there is night. It all begins to blend together after a while. Dedede doesn't mind the insomnia, though. It's when he's at his most delirious that he can pretend Escargoon is still there.

_"Maybe then you'll wise up. Why bankrupt yourself when you gotta genius like me workin' for ya?"_

"I'm sorry," he chokes out, burying his face into his hands. Sorry for blaming Escargoon for things that were behind his control, sorry for abusing him, sorry for pushing him away.

But most of all, he's sorry that he'll never be able to hold him in his arms again.

* * *

He still remembers the funeral, how Escargoon's mother had shown up screaming and crying and clawing at him. "You killed him!" she screamed as the Waddles Dees held her back. "You killed my baby!"

Dedede didn't deny the claim, nor did he bother defending himself. Had anyone else been responsible for Escargoon's death, he would have reacted the exact same way.

Had Escargoon lived, what would have happened between them? Would Dedede have finally been able to get over his denial and be the partner Escargoon deserved? He's sure the answer is yes. If anything, Dedede already _had_ accepted the love he felt for the other male - it was his own cowardice that was the issue.

If only he knew then what he knows today.

* * *

Waddle Doo starts checking in on him. He doesn't say much, just brings him food and entertainment, like colouring books.

On rarer occasions, he'll actually approach Dedede and try talking to him. Rarer still, he'll tell stories about Escargoon, trying to remind his master of happier times.

But that's the thing. The happy times are over.

Dedede doesn't like it when Waddle Doo tries to communicate with him. His voice is too gruff, his mannerisms not dramatic enough.

Dedede kind of hates him for that. For trying to be Escargoon.

Pretty soon he hates Waddle Doo simply for having the nerve to bother him at all.

Why can't the idiot flunky realize that he's not going to get over it? That he'll probably never get over it, and he's not sure he even wants to because this horrible pain is the only part of Escargoon he has left?

_"It shoulda been me!"_ he screams at Waddle Doo one day, eyes bloodshot from tears and lack of sleep.

Waddle Doo lowers his gaze. There's nothing he can say, and even it there was, they both knew it would both do more harm than good.

Dedede cries because he knows he can't hate Waddle Doo, not really. He could never truly hate anything that loved Escargoon.

Not even himself.

* * *

The night Waddle Doo stops visiting, Dedede drinks himself into a stupor. Meta Knight visits the same night.

Meta Knight stands by the bed, listening as Dedede rambles, waving his half-empty bottle of vodka about.

"He used to be happy, ya know? 'Fore he startin' workin' for me..." Dedede laughs, leaning back. "And I went outta my way to make him miserable... didn't even have the guts to tell him I was sorry 'bout that..." He looks Meta Knight right in the eye, or tries to. "'Cause that's not what I do. Ain't no good with 'pologies. Think Goonie knew that? Do ya?"

He passes out before Meta Knight gave his answer, assuming there was one to begin with.

* * *

Four weeks go by before Dedede makes his decision.

He leaves his room in the middle of the night, wanting to attract as little attention as possible. He moves briskly (as much as he can manage), stilling only when he passes by what once was Escargoon's corridors.

When Dedede peeks through the key hole, he discovers that the bedroom is barren, not a sign of life visible.

The odd sense of peace he feels only grows when he reaches the highest roof of the castle, gazing down at his kingdom.

He thinks about the way Escargoon's eyes lit up whenever a brilliant idea came to mind, the reassurance and comfort that accompanied the snail's constant presence.

For a moment Dedede is afraid, because he's so sure Escargoon went to Heaven, and Dedede doubts those gates will open up for _him._

Then again, since life itself had become Hell without the company of his friend, he doesn't see the harm in taking a chance. If he lived rash and impulsive, he might as well die rash and impulsive too.

Dedede takes a deep breath and jumps.

* * *

Meta Knight is far from surprised when he discovers the body during his dawn patrol.

It's with a heavy heart that he closes Dedede's eyes for him, saying a silent prayer.

Meta Knight's yellow eyes drift upwards, towards the rising sun.

He can only hope that wherever His Majesty is now, he's in a better place. And that Escargoon is with him.

* * *

"'Bout time ya showed up!" he scolds, hands on his would-be hips as he approaches him. His eyes are the colour of grass and positively crackling with energy, his movements fluid and unrestrained.

Dedede smirks at him. "Ya know me by now, boy! I thought you woulda figured I'd be tardy."

"Fair enough." He sidles up to him, wrapping his arms around the other male's waist. "But that didn't mean I liked waitin' around..."

Dedede chuckles, nuzzling his neck, breathing him in. "It's good to have ya back," he murmurs, leaning back and gazing upon his long-lost partner.

Now it's Escargoon's turn to laugh. "I should be sayin' the same thing to you! Now..." He steps back, grinning playfully. "If you wanna keep me, you better catch me!"

Escargoon takes off, but not before he glances over his shoulder and gives a meaningful wink.

As Dedede gives chase, he comes to a conclusion.

With Escargoon at his side, anywhere and everywhere is Heaven.

**~The End~**


End file.
